FIELD: environment protection; ecology. SUBSTANCE: method involves calculating the number of hoof animals in population by collecting and preparing winter defecation samples for making radioactivity analysis. The procedure has to stages one of which is field stage and the other one is laboratory stage. The field stage involves accounting the defecations and taking samples during one week after middle April snow melts. One sample preparation requires 1.2 h time. To make accounting, permanent routes are determined 1 km per 100 ha of hunting area comparable to winter routes. The routes are fixed on geobotanic map of sanitary protection zone in 1:10000 scale. Accounting is carried out on a 3 m broad strip, that is, 1.5 m on both sides of the accounting operator. The route being 6600 m long, the accounting strip area is 19.8 ha large. The route being 11000 m long, the accounting strip area is 33.0 ha large. When passing a route through, all excrement heaps are recorded and distance and reference objects are marked on the map every 100 m. All routes being gone through, counting is carried out. The number of heaps per area unit is determined by dividing the total number of defecations recorded by accounting area that is equal to route length multiplied by three. Excrement samples are collected concurrently with excrement heap accounting which number is determined by hunting area type. At least two samples are taken in every type of hunting area. Excrements are taken in the amount of 200 g into paper package, marked and left in the laboratory when the route is finished. Sample code, date and place of sampling are fixed in a working diary. Rind and plant branches samples are taken in the places of gnawing in the amount of at least 0.5 kg, put into paper packages, marked. When the route is finished, the samples are left in the laboratory. Sample code, date and place of sampling, plant type, sample type (rind, branches and so on) are fixed in a working diary. The taken samples of excrements and food are prepared according to standardized method. Sample code and type, date and place of sampling, absolute dry weight, ash mass are recorded in the working journal. EFFECT: enhanced accuracy in following radionuclide migration in nutrient chains; provided control on radioactive pollution. 3 cl
